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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. present — the time now
  3. can — to be able to
  4. last — finally
  5. net — in sport
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bank — for money
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. last — final
  13. cap — a hat
  14. present — a gift
  15. net — after costs
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. last — to go on
  21. present — there
  22. cap — of ice
  23. net — for catching
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com